Pittsfield Planting Goal Progress:
2,917 Trees Planted out of 2,400 GOAL
Last Updated: May 4, 2021
Am I In The Zone?
Meet Your Local Foresters:
Jay Girard
Education: UMASS Amherst Bachelor’s degree in urban forestry
Experience: 46 years working in the tree care industry, 26 years as a Certified Arborist
Interests: Hiking, Canoeing, Skiing
Favorite Tree & Reason: Hop Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) I think it is a nicely shaped native tree that can be used in the selected areas and as an understory tree which has interesting bark and is under-utilized in the industry.
Pittsfield Partners:
Berkshire Environmental Action Team
BEAT protects the environment for wildlife in support of the natural world that sustains us all. We work in three main program areas: education & outreach, stewardship, and watchdogging. Over the last four years we have been privileged to work with the GGCP as the Pittsfield non-profit partner, and have helped get over 2,800 trees planted in downtown Pittsfield. Healthy urban forests create healthy habitat for all creatures, human and otherwise. We are proud to contribute to this continuing success!
Downtown Pittsfield, Inc.
DPI was formed in 1983 for civic, non-profit purposes to foster, develop and improve the physical, economic and commercial well-being of downtown Pittsfield and the surrounding area. Since that time, DPI has become a recognized leader to mobilize people and resources to create and sustain a creative, lively and sustainable downtown. DPI members include property owners, businesses, residents, cultural venues, restaurants and non-profit organizations that make downtown as a great place to live, work, and play. DPI works in partnership with the City of Pittsfield on streetscape projects, parking improvements, marketing, and other initiatives. Founded in 2003, BEAT’s mission is to protect the environment for wildlife in support of the natural world that sustains us all. BEAT believes that an informed and involved citizenry is the environment’s best protection. Through programs in stewardship, watchdogging, and outreach and education, each year BEAT involves hundreds of volunteers, and partners with dozens of organizations to restore, protect, and improve the condition of our landscape, watershed and waterways. BEAT has been working on the GGCP since May 2016. BEAT has worked closely with Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) foresters to obtain tree requests from local residents, help ensure public trees are watered, educate residents about the benefits of urban trees, and conduct outreach going door-to-door throughout the planting zone to build community support for the GGCP.
